Seven Ways to Feel Good in the Morning

For a lot of people morning is a dreaded time. Alarm clocks, responsibilities, sleepiness... they’re all inevitable side effects of the coming of morning. If you’re that person who finds that he/she is dragging his/her butt around in the morning, unable to get focused or energized, maybe you need a change in routine. Here are some easy tips and ideas to help get your morning started on the right track.

1. Before even getting out of bed make a point of saying something out loud. It doesn’t matter what it is; you just want to help activate your brain for the day. If you sleep with a partner, you might want to leave the room before speaking, or you might find yourself in an eternal sleep.

2. Morning sex isn't always successful for physical reasons, but if you're one of those people who doesn't care or who doesn't have a problem, sex is a fantastic form of exercise in the morning (not to mention a good energy-provider). 

3. Showering in the morning will help to wake you up, but it will also help to relax your stiff muscles that might still be sleeping. Don’t be afraid to do a couple of light stretches while you’re in the shower, but be careful not to move around too much (unless you really want to fall). If you can’t/don’t shower first thing in the morning, at least splash your face with water.

4. Count brush strokes while you brush your teeth. Doing this will help your brain to wake up and start its logical thinking processes. Count forward and backward.

5. After your shower try to do some light exercises. If you’re looking to improve your endurance or flexibility, this is the perfect time to do some yoga. Your shower will have relaxed your muscles, and since you have not yet eaten, doing some exercise at this point can help with toning, endurance, flexibility, and weight control.

6. Eat a decent breakfast. The breakfast doesn’t have to be huge, but try to avoid a single piece of toast. Have some cereal and juice, pancakes (once in a while), French toast, regular toast, eggs, etc. Make sure the breakfast is substantial. You should also have some granola bars or raw vegetables on hand to take with you to work, because it is common to feel hungry a couple hours after eating a decent breakfast. A small, healthy snack will hold you over until lunch time, and also help you to eat less at lunch (weight control).

7. Playing music in the morning can help to either relax or energize a person, depending on the type of music. The tunes can be played low or cranked (if there are no neighbours); both ways will help to wake up the brain and build energy, depending on the type of person you are.